U.S. patent number 7,944,437 [Application Number 11/603,208] was granted by the patent office on 2011-05-17 for information processing apparatus and touch pad control method.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba. Invention is credited to Akira Imamura.
United States Patent |
7,944,437 |
Imamura |
May 17, 2011 |
Information processing apparatus and touch pad control method
Abstract
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus
includes a main body, a touch pad which is provided on the main
body, a determination unit which determines whether an external
pointing device is connected to the main body, and a control unit
which controls the touch pad in one of a first mode for making the
touch pad function as a pointing device and a second mode in which
in response to tapping of one of a plurality of virtual buttons
disposed on a surface of the touch pad, a function which is
assigned to the tapped virtual button is activated, the control
unit controlling the touch pad in the second mode if the external
pointing device is connected to the main body.
Inventors: |
Imamura; Akira (Akishima,
JP) |
Assignee: |
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
(Tokyo, JP)
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Family
ID: |
38118204 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/603,208 |
Filed: |
November 22, 2006 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20070126714 A1 |
Jun 7, 2007 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Dec 7, 2005 [JP] |
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2005-353660 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
345/175;
178/18.01; 345/156; 178/18.11; 345/173; 178/18.03 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F
3/03547 (20130101); G06F 3/038 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06F
3/042 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;345/156,157,163,168,173
;178/18.01,18.03,18.11 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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06-274272 |
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Sep 1994 |
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JP |
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09-190256 |
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Jul 1997 |
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JP |
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2000-339097 |
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Dec 2000 |
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JP |
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2003-248550 |
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Sep 2003 |
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JP |
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2004-70379 |
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Mar 2004 |
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JP |
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2004-199516 |
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Jul 2004 |
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JP |
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Other References
Japanese Office Action dated Apr. 15, 2008 for Appln. No.
2005-353660. cited by other.
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Primary Examiner: Tran; My-Chau T
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman,
LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An information processing apparatus comprising: a main body; a
touch pad, provided on the main body, including a surface sheet and
a light source that is provided on a back side of the surface
sheet, the surface sheet including a plurality of
light-transmissive areas having shapes corresponding to a plurality
of virtual buttons disposed on a surface of the touch pad and
passing light which is emitted from the light source; and a control
unit configured to control the touch pad in one of two modes,
wherein a first mode is for making the touch pad to function as a
pointing device and a second mode is for activating, in response to
tapping of one of the plurality of virtual buttons, a function
which is assigned to the tapped virtual button, the control unit
turning off the light source in the first mode and turning on the
light source in the second mode, the control unit controlling the
touch pad in the second mode if an external pointing device is
connected to the main body.
2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
further comprising a mode switch button, which instructs switching
from the first mode to the second mode, is disposed on the surface
of the touch pad, and the control unit is configured to control the
touch pad in the first mode if the external pointing device is not
connected to the main body, and to control the touch pad in the
second mode if the mode switch button is tapped in the first
mode.
3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
further comprising a mode switch button, which instructs switching
from the first mode to the second mode, is disposed on the surface
of the touch pad, and the control unit is configured to control the
touch pad in the first mode if the external pointing device is not
connected to the main body, to control the touch pad in the second
mode if the mode switch button is tapped in the first mode, and to
control, if one of the plurality of virtual buttons is tapped in
the second mode, the touch pad in the first mode after a function
corresponding to the tapped virtual button is executed.
4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the plurality of virtual buttons include first to third
virtual buttons, which are disposed on an upper part of the surface
of the touch pad and to each of which an application program or a
file is assignable, and fourth to sixth virtual buttons, which are
disposed on a lower part of the surface of the touch pad and to
each of which an application program or a file is assignable.
5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4,
further comprising a logo that is disposed on the surface of the
touch pad between the first to third virtual buttons and the fourth
to sixth virtual buttons.
6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4,
further comprising a mode switch button, which instructs switching
from the first mode to the second mode, is disposed on the surface
of the touch pad.
7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4,
wherein the plurality of virtual buttons include a seventh virtual
button to which a function of controlling a volume of sound is
assigned.
8. A touch pad control method for controlling a touch pad which is
provided on an information processing apparatus, comprising:
determining whether an external pointing device is connected to the
information processing apparatus; and controlling the touch pad in
one of either two modes wherein a first mode is for making the
touch pad to function as a pointing device and a second mode, in
which in response to tapping of one of a plurality of virtual
buttons disposed on a surface of the touch pad, a function which is
assigned to the tapped virtual button is activated, said
controlling including controlling the touch pad in the second mode
if the external pointing device is connected to the information
processing apparatus, wherein the touch pad includes a surface
sheet and a light source which is provided on a back side of the
surface sheet, the surface sheet having a plurality of
light-transmissive areas which have shapes corresponding to the
plurality of virtual buttons and pass light which is emitted from
the light source, and said controlling includes turning off the
light source in the first mode and turning on the light source in
the second mode.
9. The touch pad control method according to claim 8, further
comprising a mode switch button, which instructs switching from the
first mode to the second mode, is disposed on the surface of the
touch pad, and said controlling includes controlling the touch pad
in the first mode if the external pointing device is not connected
to the information processing apparatus, and controlling the touch
pad in the second mode if the mode switch button is tapped in the
first mode.
10. The touch pad control method according to claim 8, further
comprising a mode switch button, which instructs switching from the
first mode to the second mode, is disposed on the surface of the
touch pad, and said controlling includes controlling the touch pad
in the first mode if the external pointing device is not connected
to the information processing apparatus, controlling the touch pad
in the second mode if the mode switch button is tapped in the first
mode, and controlling, if one of the plurality of virtual buttons
is tapped in the second mode, the touch pad in the first mode after
a function corresponding to the tapped virtual button is executed.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority
from Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-353660, filed Dec. 7,
2005, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND
1. Field
One embodiment of the invention relates to an information
processing apparatus such as a personal computer, and a touch pad
control method for use in the apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, various types of notebook portable personal
computers have been developed. Most of these types of computers
have touch pads functioning as pointing devices. The user can
perform a pointing operation, such as movement of a cursor (mouse
pointer), by operating the touch pad by the finger.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-248550 discloses a
touch pad including a display device like a liquid crystal display
(LCD). A tap zone is provided on the surface of the touch pad. If
the tap zone is tapped by the user, a function corresponding to the
tap zone is activated. If a region, other than the tap zone, on the
surface of the touch pad is touch-operated by the user, a mouse
pointing function is executed. In addition, the touch pad has a
function of displaying wallpaper, and a function of displaying icon
corresponding to function which is assigned to the tap zone on the
surface of the touch pad.
In the touch pad of Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No.
2003-248550, however, a specific area on the surface of the touch
pad is used as a tap zone, and the other area is used as an area
for pointing operations. It is thus possible that the user may
erroneously touch the tap zone while performing a pointing
operation, and a function which is not intended by the user may be
activated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
A general architecture that implements the various feature of the
invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The
drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate
embodiments of the invention and not to limit the scope of the
invention.
FIG. 1 is an exemplary perspective view showing an example of the
external appearance of a computer according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exemplary block diagram showing a system configuration
of the computer shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an exemplary view for explaining two modes for
controlling a touch pad that is provided on the computer shown in
FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an exemplary cross-sectional view showing a
cross-sectional structure of the touch pad provided on the computer
shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is an exemplary view for showing an example of the
hardware/software configuration for controlling the touch pad
provided on the computer shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is an exemplary view showing an example of a setup screen
for use in the computer shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is an exemplary flow chart illustrating an example of the
procedure of a dual mode control process which is executed by the
computer shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 is an exemplary flow chart illustrating an example of the
procedure of a process at a time when an auto-mode is effective,
which is executed by the computer shown in FIG. 1; and
FIG. 9 shows examples of arrangement of virtual buttons on the
touch pad provided on the computer shown in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Various embodiments according to the invention will be described
hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. In
general, according to one embodiment of the invention, an
information processing apparatus includes: a main body; a touch pad
which is provided on the main body; a determination unit which
determines whether an external pointing device is connected to the
main body; and a control unit which controls the touch pad in one
of a first mode for making the touch pad function as a pointing
device and a second mode in which in response to tapping of one of
a plurality of virtual buttons disposed on a surface of the touch
pad, a function which is assigned to the tapped virtual button is
activated, the control unit controlling the touch pad in the second
mode if the external pointing device is connected to the main
body.
Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the structure of an information
processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention
is described. The information processing apparatus is realized, for
example, as a battery-powerable notebook-type portable personal
computer 10.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the computer 10 in the state
in which a display unit thereof is opened. The computer 10
comprises a main body (hereinafter referred to as "computer main
body") 11 and a display unit 12. A display device that is composed
of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 17 is built in the display unit
12. The display screen of the LCD 17 is positioned at an
approximately central part of the display unit 12.
The display unit 12 is attached to the computer main body 11 such
that the display unit 12 is freely rotatable between an open
position and a closed position. The computer main body 11 has a
thin box-shaped casing in which a battery can detachably be
attached.
A keyboard 13, a power button switch 14 for powering on/off the
computer 10, a touch pad 15, a left button 15a and a right button
15b are disposed on the top surface of the computer main body 11.
The touch pad 15 is a device which functions as a pointing device.
In the present embodiment, the following two modes are provided as
modes for controlling the touch pad 15.
(1) First Mode (Cursor Mode)
A first mode (cursor mode) is a mode for making the touch pad 15
function as an ordinary pointing device. In the first mode (cursor
mode), the touch pad 15 functions the pointing device such as a
mouse device, a user can perform pointing operations, such as
movement of a cursor (mouse pointer) and a click operation, by
moving the finger on the surface of the touch pad 15 or by tapping
the surface of the touch pad 15 at an arbitrary position by the
finger.
(2) Second Mode (Button Mode)
A second mode (button mode) is a mode in which when one of a
plurality of virtual buttons disposed on the surface of the touch
pad 15 is touch-operated, a function which is assigned to the
touch-operated virtual button is activated. Each virtual button
functions as a shortcut key for activating the associated function.
In the second mode (button mode), simply by tapping a virtual
button, the user can easily activate the function corresponding to
the tapped virtual button.
The touch pad 15 includes a surface sheet and a light source
(backlight) which is provided on the back side of the surface
sheet. The surface sheet has a plurality of light-transmissive
areas which have shapes corresponding to the virtual buttons and
pass light that is emitted from the light source. Thus, when the
light source (backlight) is turned on, light is passed from the
plural light-transmissive areas of the surface sheet. Thereby, the
shapes corresponding to the plural virtual buttons are displayed on
the surface of the touch pad 15. When the light source (backlight)
is turned off, the plural virtual buttons become hardly
visible.
In the second mode (button mode), the light source (backlight) is
turned on. In the first mode (cursor mode), the light source
(backlight) is turned off.
An external pointing device 100 can be connected, as needed, to the
computer main body 11. The external pointing device 100 is, for
example, a mouse device. When the external pointing device 100 is
connected to the computer main body 11, the mode for controlling
the touch pad 15 is automatically set to the second mode (button
mode). The user can execute the pointing operation by using the
external pointing device 100, and can use the virtual buttons on
the touch pad 15 as shortcut keys.
FIG. 2 shows an example of the system configuration of the computer
10.
The computer 10, as shown in FIG. 2, comprises a CPU 111, a north
bridge 114, a main memory 115, a graphics controller 116, a south
bridge 117, a BIOS-ROM 120, a hard disk drive (HDD) 121, an optical
disc drive (ODD) 122, various PCI (Peripheral Component
Interconnect) devices 123, 124, an embedded controller/keyboard
controller IC (EC/KBC) 140, and a power supply circuit 141.
The CPU 111 is a processor that is provided for controlling the
operation of the computer 10. The CPU 111 executes an operating
system and various application programs/utility programs, which are
loaded in the main memory 115 from the HDD 121. One of the utility
programs is a touch pad driver 201. The touch pad driver 201 is a
program for controlling the touch pad 15. The touch pad driver 201
controls the touch pad 15 in one of the first mode (cursor mode)
and the second mode (button mode).
The CPU 111 also executes a system BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)
that is stored in the BIOS-ROM 120. The system BIOS is a program
for hardware control.
The north bridge 114 is a bridge device that connects a local bus
of the CPU 111 and the south bridge 117. The north bridge 114
includes a memory controller that access-controls the main memory
115. The north bridge 114 has a function of executing communication
with the graphics controller 116 via, e.g. a PCI Express bus.
The graphics controller 116 is a display controller for controlling
the LCD 17 that is used as a display monitor of the computer 10.
The graphics controller 116 includes a video memory (VRAM) 116A and
generates a video signal, which forms a display image to be
displayed on the LCD 17, on the basis of display data that is
written in the video memory (VRAM) 116A by the OS/application
program.
The south bridge 117 is connected to a PCI bus 1 and executes
communication with the PCI devices 123 and 124 via the PCI bus 1.
The south bridge 117 includes an IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics)
controller or a Serial ATA controller for controlling the hard disk
drive (HDD) 121 and optical disc drive (ODD) 122. Further, the
south bridge 117 includes a USB (Universal Serial Bus) controller
118. The USB controller 118 controls various USB devices which are
connectable to a USB port 125 provided on the computer main body
11. A USB device, for instance, is usable as the above-mentioned
external pointing device 100.
The embedded controller/keyboard controller IC (EC/KBC) 140 is a
1-chip microcomputer in which an embedded controller for power
management and a keyboard controller for controlling the keyboard
(KB) 13 and touch pad 15 are integrated. The EC/KBC 140 has a
function of powering on/off the computer 10 in response to the
user's operation of the power button switch 14. The power on/off
control of the computer 10 is executed by cooperation of the EC/KBC
140 and power supply circuit 141.
The touch pad 15 includes a backlight 151, as described above. The
touch pad 15 is connected to a keyboard controller within the
EC/KBC 140 via, e.g. a PS/2 interface.
The power supply circuit 141 uses power from a battery 142 which is
mounted in the computer main body 11 or power from an AC adapter
143 which is connected to the computer main body 11 as the external
power supply, thereby generating operational powers to the
respective components.
Next, referring to FIG. 3, the buttons disposed on the touch pad 15
are described.
As shown in FIG. 3, six virtual buttons 301, 302, 303, 304, 305 and
306 are disposed on the surface of the touch pad 15. Applications
programs or files may be assigned to these virtual buttons.
Functions are pre-assigned to the three virtual buttons 301, 302
and 303 which are disposed on the upper side of the surface of the
touch pad 15. Thereby, the virtual buttons 301, 302 and 303 can
function as shortcut keys for activating, for instance, frequently
used application programs.
The virtual button 301 functions, for example, as a shortcut key
for activating e-mail software. The virtual button 302 functions,
for example, as a shortcut key for activating a utility or internet
browser for controlling network connection. The virtual button 303
functions, for example, as a shortcut key for activating a printing
function for sending an item in an active window on the display
screen of the LCD 17 to a printer.
The user can assign arbitrary application programs or files to the
three virtual buttons 304, 305 and 306 disposed on lower side of
the surface of the touch pad 15, by using a GUI which is displayed
on the LCD 17 by the touch pad driver 201. In the meantime, the
user can also assign arbitrary application programs or files to the
upper-side three virtual buttons 301, 302 and 303 by using the GUI
which is displayed on the LCD 17 by the touch pad driver 201.
In a case where a specific sound file is assigned to one of the
virtual buttons, when the user taps this virtual button, sound
reproduction software is activated and the reproduction of the
specific sound file is automatically started.
A logo 307, which indicates, for instance, the name of the
manufacturer of the computer 10 and the brand name of the computer
10, is disposed on an area between the upper-side three virtual
buttons 301, 302 and 303 and the lower-side three virtual buttons
304, 305 and 306, that is, a central area on the surface of the
touch pad 15.
A mode switch button 401 is disposed on an upper right corner of
the surface of the touch pad 15. The mode switch button 401 is a
button for switching the mode for controlling the touch pad 15 from
the first mode (cursor mode) to the second mode (button mode). The
mode switch button 401 is always presented even in the case where
the backlight 151 is turned off, that is, even in the first mode
(cursor mode).
A virtual button (volume controller) 402, to which a function of
controlling a sound volume is assigned, is disposed under the mode
switch button 401.
In the first mode (cursor mode), the backlight 151 is turned off.
Accordingly, only the mode switch button 401 is presented on the
surface of the touch pad 15. On the other hand, in the second mode
(button mode), light of, e.g. blue, which is emitted from the
backlight 151, is passed to the outside through the
light-transmissive areas corresponding to the shapes of the six
virtual buttons 301 to 306, log 307, mode switch button 401 and
volume controller 402. Thereby, the shapes of the six virtual
buttons 301 to 306, log 307, mode switch button 401 and volume
controller 402 are presented on the surface of the touch pad 15
with blue light.
FIG. 4 shows an example of the cross-sectional structure of the
touch pad 15.
A surface sheet 504, as described above, includes a number of
light-transmissive areas 505 corresponding to the shapes of the six
virtual buttons 301 to 306, log 307, mode switch button 401 and
volume controller 402. A sensor layer 502 for detecting a position
on the surface of the touch pad 15, at which the touch pad 15 is
touched by the user's finger, is disposed under the surface sheet
504. The sensor layer 502 is formed on an insulating substrate 501.
A reflective layer 503 for reflecting light from a light source
600, such as a blue LED, is formed on the sensor layer 502. The
light source 600 and reflective layer 503 function as the
above-described backlight 151.
Next, referring to FIG. 5, a hardware/software configuration for
controlling the touch pad 15 is described.
The touch pad 15 is connected to a keyboard controller (KBC) 140a
in the EC/KBC 140 via, e.g. a PS/2 interface. In each of the first
mode (cursor mode) and second mode (button mode), the touch pad 15
sends to the keyboard controller (KBC) 140a coordinate data
indicative of a position on the surface of the touch pad 15, at
which the touch pad 15 is touched by the user. The coordinate data
is sent to the touch pad driver 201, which runs on the CPU 111, via
the south bridge 117 and the north bridge 114.
The touch pad driver 201 includes, as its functional modules, a
touch pad control unit 601 and a mode switch unit 602. The touch
pad control unit 601 is a control unit which controls the touch pad
15 in one of the first mode (cursor mode) and second mode (button
mode). That is, the touch pad control unit 601 operates in one of
the first mode (cursor mode) and second mode (button mode) in order
to control the touch pad 15.
In the first mode (cursor mode), the touch pad control unit 601
sends information indicative of the position of cursor movement to
an operating system (OS) 701, in accordance with the coordinate
data from the touch pad 15. In addition, in the first mode (cursor
mode), the touch pad control unit 601 determines whether a tap
position is in a zone in which the mode switch button 401 is
disposed, in accordance with the coordinate data from the touch pad
15. If the tap position is in the zone in which the mode switch
button 401 is disposed, the touch pad control unit 601 switches its
operation mode from the first mode (cursor mode) to the second mode
(button mode). At this time, the touch pad control unit 601 sends
to the touch pad 15 a command for instructing turn-on of the
backlight 151 (turn-on of the light source 600).
In the second mode (button mode), the touch pad control unit 601
determines which of the virtual buttons 301 to 306 and volume
controller 402 is tapped, in accordance with the coordinate data
from the touch pad 15. The touch pad control unit 601 instructs the
OS 701 to activate the function corresponding to the tapped virtual
button or volume controller. A table 603 stores information
indicating the relationship between the coordinate information of
the zones, which correspond to the virtual buttons 301 to 306 and
the volume controller 402, and the functions which are assigned to
the virtual buttons 301 to 306 and the volume controller 402.
Referring to the table 603, the touch pad control unit 601 executes
a process of determining which of the virtual buttons 301 to 306
and the volume controller 402 is tapped, and a process of
determining the function to be activated.
The OS 701 includes an external pointing device detection unit 711
as one of its functional modules. The external pointing device
detection unit 711 is a determination unit for determining whether
the external pointing device 100 is connected to the computer main
body 11. When the external pointing device 100 is connected to the
USB port 125, the USB controller 118 informs the OS 701 of an event
indicating connection of the external pointing device 100 to the
USB port 125. Thereby, the external pointing device detection unit
711 of the OS 701 can detect that the external pointing device 100
is connected to the computer main body 11. When the external
pointing device 100 is connected to the computer main body 11, the
external pointing device detection unit 711 activates a driver
(e.g. a mouse driver) for controlling the external pointing device
100, and informs the mode switch unit 602 of the touch pad driver
201 that the external pointing device 100 is connected to the
computer main body 11. Responding to the information, the mode
switch unit 602 switches the operation mode of the touch pad
control unit 601 from the first mode (cursor mode) to the second
mode (button mode).
The external pointing device detection unit 711 also detects
disconnection of the external pointing device 100 from the computer
main body 11. The external pointing device detection unit 711
informs the mode switch unit 602 of the touch pad driver 201 that
the external pointing device 100 is disconnected from the computer
main body 11. Responding to the information, the mode switch unit
602 switches the operation mode of the touch pad control unit 601
from the second mode (button mode) to the first mode (cursor
mode).
FIG. 6 shows an example of a setup screen which is displayed on the
LCD 17 by the touch pad driver 201.
On the setup screen, setting items relating to the setting of a
dual mode are prepared. The dual mode is a mode for permitting
switching from the first mode (cursor mode) to the second mode
(button mode) when the mode switch button 401 is tapped. If a check
box 701 at an upper right area on the setup screen is checked by
the user, the dual mode is rendered effective. If a button on the
surface of the touch pad 15 is tapped in the second mode (button
mode), the function corresponding to the tapped button is executed
and then the switching to the first mode (cursor mode) is
automatically executed.
Another check box 702 is provided on the setup screen. If the check
box 702 is checked by the user, the above-described function
(hereinafter referred to as "auto-mode"), in which the first mode
(cursor mode) is switched to the second mode (button mode) when the
external pointing device 100 is connected to the computer main body
11, is rendered effective. In the case where the auto-mode is
effective, while the external pointing device 100 is connected to
the computer main body 11, the touch pad 15 is always controlled in
the second mode (button mode). If an arbitrary button on the
surface of the touch pad 15 is tapped, the function corresponding
to the tapped button is executed but the switching to the first
mode (cursor mode) is not executed. Thus, the control mode of the
touch pad 15 is always kept in the second mode (button mode).
Next, referring to a flow chart of FIG. 7, a description is given
of an example of a process procedure which is executed by the touch
pad driver 201 when the dual mode is effective.
To start with, the touch pad driver 201 controls the touch pad 15
in the first mode (cursor mode) (block S101). If the mode switch
button 401 is tapped by the user in the first mode (YES in block
S102), the touch pad driver 201 sends to the touch pad 15 a command
for instructing turn-on of the backlight 151, thus turning on the
backlight 151, and switches the control mode of the touch pad 15 to
the second mode (button mode), thus controlling the touch pad 15 in
the second mode (button mode) (block S103).
If one of the virtual buttons 301 to 306 and 402 is tapped (YES in
block S104), the touch pad driver 201 cooperates with the OS 701
and activates the function (e.g. application program) which is
assigned to the tapped virtual button (block S105). After the
function assigned to the tapped virtual button is activated, the
touch pad driver 201 sends to the touch pad 15 a command for
instructing turn-off of the backlight 151, thus turning off the
backlight 151, and switches the control mode of the touch pad 15 to
the first mode (cursor mode), thus controlling the touch pad 15 in
the first mode (cursor mode) (block S101). Using the touch pad 15,
the user can perform a pointing operation to designate an arbitrary
position on the window of the activated application program.
Next, referring to a flow chart of FIG. 8, a description is given
of an example of a process procedure which is executed by the touch
pad driver 201 when the auto-mode is effective.
To start with, the touch pad driver 201 determines whether the
auto-mode is effective (block S111). If the auto-mode is not
effective (NO in block S111), the touch pad driver 201 executes the
dual mode control process which has been described with reference
to FIG. 7 (block S112).
If the auto-mode is effective (YES in block S111), the touch pad
driver 201 cooperates with the OS 701 and determines whether the
external pointing device 100 is connected to the computer main body
11 (block S113). If the external pointing device 100 is not
connected to the computer main body 11 (NO in block S113), the
touch pad driver 201 executes the dual mode control process which
has been described with reference to FIG. 7 (block S114). In block
S114, the touch pad driver 201 first controls the touch pad 15 in
the first mode (cursor mode). If the mode switch button 401 is
tapped, the touch pad driver 201 controls the touch pad 15 in the
second mode. If an arbitrary virtual button is tapped, the touch
pad driver 201 activates the function corresponding to the tapped
virtual button, and then switches the control mode of the touch pad
15 to the first mode (cursor mode), thus controlling the touch pad
15 in the first mode (cursor mode).
If the external pointing device 100 is connected to the computer
main body 11 (YES in block S113), the touch pad driver 201 sends to
the touch pad 15 a command for instructing turn-on of the backlight
151, thus turning on the backlight 151, and switches the control
mode of the touch pad 15 to the second mode (button mode), thus
controlling the touch pad 15 in the second mode (button mode)
(block S115). If one of the virtual buttons 301 to 306 and 402 is
tapped (YES in block S116), the touch pad driver 201 cooperates
with the OS 701 and activates the function (e.g. application
program) which is assigned to the tapped virtual button (block
S117). Even after the function is activated, the control mode of
the touch pad 15 is kept in the second mode (button mode). Using
the external pointing device 100, the user can perform a pointing
operation to designate an arbitrary position on the window of the
activated application program.
If the external pointing device 100 is disconnected from the
computer main body 11 in the second mode (NO in block S113), the
touch pad driver 201 starts the dual mode control process (block
S114).
As has been described above, in the present embodiment, the first
mode (cursor mode) and the second mode (button mode) are basically
used in an exclusive manner. Further, responding to the connection
of the external pointing device 100 to the computer main body 11,
the control mode of the touch pad 15 is automatically switched to
the second mode (button mode). The user can perform the pointing
operation by using the external pointing device 100, and at the
same time the user can use the button function of the touch pad 15.
Thus, the operability of the touch pad can sufficiently be improved
without causing such a problem that an application corresponding to
an arbitrary button is erroneously activated during the pointing
operation by the user. Therefore, the operability of the touch pad
can sufficiently be improved without causing an erroneous
operation.
The layout of the virtual buttons on the surface of the touch pad
15 in the button mode is not limited to the example of FIG. 3. For
example, layouts, as shown in FIG. 9, may be adopted.
In an example of layout shown at an upper left part of FIG. 9, a
logo 307 is disposed in an oblique direction from the upper left
corner to the lower right corner on the surface of the touch panel
15. A triangular virtual button 301 is disposed on the upper side
of the logo 307, and a triangular virtual button 302 is disposed on
the lower side of the logo 307. A mode switch button 401 is
disposed on an upper right corner part of the surface of the touch
pad 15.
In an example of layout shown at a lower left part of FIG. 9, four
virtual buttons having vertically elongated rectangular shapes are
disposed on the surface of the touch pad 15.
In an example of layout shown at an upper right part of FIG. 9, a
logo 307A and a log 307B are disposed on a left side and a right
side of the surface of the touch pad 15, respectively. Six virtual
buttons 301 to 306 are disposed on a central area between the logo
307A and logo 307B.
In an example of layout shown at a lower right part of FIG. 9,
three virtual buttons having horizontally elongated rectangular
shapes are disposed on the surface of the touch pad 15.
While certain embodiments of the inventions have been described,
these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and
are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the
novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a
variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions,
substitutions and changes in the form of the methods and systems
described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of
the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are
intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within
the scope and spirit of the inventions.
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